Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Vibin' to the Black Album today in the whip, I noticed something that's been bugging me for a while about hip-hop lately - no one cares about lyrics anymore. Today it's all about hooks and beats, while lyrical content has been sacrificed as the music expands to a mass audience.

Now don't get me wrong, I love wildin' at the bar to some guilty pleasures (Ying Yang in this thang!). Plus, today's music serves a purpose - dumbed down lyrics mean it's easier for more people to get down.

But, aficianado that I am, I want to bring the focus back to rhymes real quick. So here it is, dom corleone's look back at 10 of hip-hop's most exquisite, tongue-flippin' displays of diction. Here are the first five and explanations - Feel free to comment and add to this list!

This is the one that sparked this list. When Jay starts from the jump with "Lord forgive him, he got them dark forces in him/ But he also got a righteous cause for sinnin," his bargaining with the Creator to understand his actions instills chills. Continuing "On permanent, hi-atus as I skate/ In the Maybach Benz flyer than Sanaa Lathan" a slightly younger Hov shouts out my future wifey AND car in the same line - props!The Kanye-produced chorus complete with signature sped-up, scratchy sample leads into Jay rockin' again "Spread love, to all of my dead thugs/ I pour out a little Louis, til' I head above/ Yessir, and when I perish, the meek shall inherit the earth/ 'Til that time, it's on and poppin, church." Jay's swag and flow is unmatachable. Threatening lines like "The more you talk, the more you irkin us/ The more you gon' need memorial services/ 'The Black Album' second verse, is like/ Devil's pie, save some dessert for us" alongside tributary momentos to his fallen friend "Curse the day that birthed the bastard/ Who caused your church Mass, reverse the crash/ Reverse the blast and reverse the car/ Reverse the day, and there you are," reveal why this Brooklyn boy-turned-mogul is a definite top 5 G.O.A.T.

Not only could I have picked material from any 'Kast album, but almost any track on Andre 3000 and Big Boi's most consistent disc ATLiens (okay, maybe Aquemini too). I went with the title track on their '96 rap classic for two reasons - first, it's got two of the smoothest lines ever and secondly, the Atlanta duo's fast-paced wordplay showcase their inherent lyrical prowess, way before the shine.The aforementioned rhymes are as follows: Big Boi's "Well it's the M - I - crooked letter, ain't no one better/ And when I'm on the microphone you best to wear your sweater/ Cause I'm cooler than a polar bear's toenails" is laced with ultra swagger. 3Stack's "Now, my oral illustration be like clitoral stimulation/ To the female gender, ain't nothin' better" shows an unusually structured speech pattern that flows like lava - the perfect compliment to Sir Luscious Left Foot's country-fried pimp game.

On their own, these three lyricists are among the best. United, the product is epic. Nas rips into the mic early with "Through the lights cameras and action, glamour glitters and gold/ I unfold the scroll, plant seeds to stampede the globe/ When I'm deceased, by then the beast arise like yeast/ To conquer peace leaving savages to roam in the streets" and finishing it off with street scripture, "From the womb to the tomb, presume the unpredictable, Guns salute life, rapidly, that's the ritual."Rae's Staten Island imagery then comes to the front, as he rhymes "Police questioning, rooftop cats invested in/ Tradin' in they Lexus' GS's, sendin messages/Two and two makes four, Cristal's crazily pour/ Gun wars, my crew phantom like swords."Ghostface's bugged-out, dust-laced rants dazzle, like "What I strive for is what I live for/ Infatuated by material things, and it's wild like for war/ Like somewhere over the rainbow, I see a big pot of gold/ Future stacks, yo, I hold." All in all, you can't ask for much more.

This one's a no-brainer - hence the name. The undisputed lord of Latin-American hip-hop was in the upper echelon as far as lyrics were concerned. It's no wonder he recruited Roots leadman Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter for a guest verse on debut LP Capital Punishment, track #3.The tandum didn't disappoint. The ever-proficient Pun pushes the limits of verbiage with "Just call me Baby Jesus cuz lady niggaz be praisin' me/ Just for the way I blaze the beat crazily, tape to CD lasery/ It pays to be amazingly flavery/ Daze 'em to my rhymes that basically hypnotize you occasionally."Tariq ices the cake as he schools his peers, rapping , "My instrumental's the Renaissance, no resem-ba-lance/ To nothin' you come across, lyrical holocaust/ The crowd pleaser emcees freeze then catch seizure/ They praise the Lord of rap thesis, true believers." 'Nuff said.

Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace was arguably the best lyricist to ever hop on a mic. With a combo of street narrative, fierce battle raps and existential poetics, Biggie was a natural. Teaming up with Bone Thugs-N-Harmony on this lead track from Life After Death disc 2, Frank White transcends first with, "Armed and dangerous, ain't too many can bang with us/Straight up weed no angel dust, label us Notorious" and effortlessly maneuvers through "Fuck the luck shit, strictly aim/ No aspirations to quit the game/Spit yo' game, talk yo' shit/Grab yo' gat, call yo' click/Squeeze yo' clip, hit the right one/Pass that weed, I got to light one/All them n*ggaz I got to fight one/All them hoes I got to like one/ Our situation is a tight one/Whatcha gonna do, fight or run?" Whew.The fellas from Bone Thugs hold their ground in the great one's shadow, creating memorable verses. Bizzy sounds off with "Test me now, contender never no surrender, no pretend/Pick up my pen, in my hand/One of my trusted friend friend, hey/Open it, let's see if we're real, we all suited/Beg my pardon to Martin, Baby we ain't marchin we shootin" and Krayzie eases the stress with "Now let me get done with the grime/Gotta go purchase a dime/Put in a state to get done with the crime/Smokin the reefer to ease my mind."But, rarely does anyone out-rhyme the best that ever did it and this here is no exception.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Name a dude that could stop the force that I strike withLet alone try to hold the pen that I write withYou could even chop off the fingers I type withThose I hold the mic with, thinkin' I might quitYou didn't know? That only makes me more determinedEach labor for hip-hop, son, ask the Germans.. And he's still got it, like he's in his prime. Wu-Tang intellectual GZA drops his 6th solo LP Pro Tools this Tuesday on Babygrande/Think Differently Music, so your boy is posting some exclusive leaks to give you a taste of what you should buy this week. The beats are certified flames and GZA's sure-fire flow and substantial lyrics are certain to satisfy any hip-hop head's craving. Support real artists, Enjoy!

Saturday, August 16, 2008

.. Here's a lil' Saturday afternoon throwback. I'm uppin' one of Nas' often-overlooked gems from 96's It Was Written since I consider these verses to be some of his best verses ever and some of the best lyricism in hip-hop, period. Lyrics nabbed from OHHLA, real heads.. Enjoy!Nas - Take It In Blood

Artist: NasAlbum: It Was WrittenSong: Take it in Blood

"I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that" (repeat 2X)--> Kool Keith from theUltramagnetic MC's 'Ease Back'

[Nas]Yo; I never brag, how real I keep it, cause it'sthe best secretI rock a vest, prestigious, Cuban linkflooded Jesusin a Lex watchin Kathie Lee and RegisMy actions are one with the seasonsA tec squeezin - executioner, winter time Irock a furMega popular, center of attractionClimaxin, my bitches they be laughinThey high from sniffin coke off a twenty-centAndrew JacksonCity lights spark a New York nightRossi and Martini sippin, Sergio Tachinniflippin mad pieslow price, I blow dice and throw emForty-five by my scrotum, manifest the"Do or Die" sloganMy niggaz roll in ten M3'sTwenty Gods poppin wheelies on Kawasaki'sHip-Hop's got me on some ol', sprayin shotslike a drumrollBlankin out and never miscount the shells mygun holdI don't stunt, I regulateHenny and Sprite, I seperate, watchin crabniggaz marinateI'm all about tecs and good jooks and sexIsraelite books, holdin government names from NessMC's are crawlin out, every hole in the slumYou be aight like blood money in a pimp's cum

"I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that""I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that.... for, you wack MC's"

[Nas]Currency is made in trust of the MessiahI'm spending it to get higherEarth, Wind, and Fire singing reasons why I'mup early, trustworthy is a nine that bust earlySunshine on my grill, I spillRemi on imaginary graves, put my hat on my wavesLatter Day Saints say religious praiseI dolo, challenge any team or soloYou must be buggin out, new to my shit, homeon a furloughAsk around, who's laid up, sharp and straight upMafioso, gettin niggaz wigs sprayed upSkies are misty, my life's predicted by a gypsyI'll one day walk into shots drunk off champangefrom SicilyThis be the drama, I'ma pause like a commain a sentence, paragraph's indentedBloodshot red eyes, high, yellow envelopes oflyeOpenin cigars, let tobacco flyCondos are tuneproof, we're looking out the sky's moonroofShittin like gin and prune juiceYo the system wants the coon's noose, hangem highCourtrooms filled up, it's off the hookwhile Ijust wrote a statement, like I'm facingtwenty yearsin the basement - chilling on the via withMumiafor wearin chrome - I told the judge snakesslitherlike Sharon Stone, but like Capone I'm thrown (yo)

"I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that""I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that.... for, you wack MC's""I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that""I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that.... for, you wack MC's"

[Nas]Lyrical, ly-lyrical mission..Lyrical..Yo the time is wastin, I use the mind elevationDime sack lacin, court pen pacinIndividual, lyrical math abrasionPsychic evaluation, the foulest nationWe livin in, dangerous lives, mad leak andbattered wivesA lifestyle where bad streets ispatternizedWise men build and destroyWhile the real McCoy dopefiend, namedDetroit is still dealin boyCoke suppliers actin biasedCause rumors say that niggaz wear wiresand we liarsBut every night the gat's fired, andevery day a rat's hiredI still remain the mack flyest in the phatKani, it's ---- just the killer in me, slash drugdealer MCEx-slug filler, semi mug peelerDemi, bottles of Mo', yo simply followme flowPut poetry inside a crack pot and blowrough holes for cracked out pussiesand buttholesBring the G's and the D's roll, theycan't touch thoseWhy shoot the breeze about it, when youcould be about it?My degrees are routed, toward the peasyhaired brick housesInstead of the fake medallionsRich niggaz transport in thousandsForeign cash exchange amountin to millionsDoors is locked, rocks is chopped, watchthe cameras in the ceilingsTrick bitches catching mad feelingsPeelin off in the Lex Jeep, techniquesis four-wheelinI bet it be some shit when we connectwith StretchWhen we catch them sex niggaz with thetecs you blessed, wordSo now it's on, never wasted a slug,Time is money when it comes to mine,take it in blood

"I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that""I made it like that, I bought it like that,I'm livin like that.... for, you wack MC's" (repeat in background to fade)

Sunday, August 10, 2008

.. Well it sure has the making of it. DJ Mick Boogie recently announced on his blog that Mr. West will be producing the majority of if not all of Mr. Carter's highly-anticipated Blueprint 3, the final disc on Jay's Def Jam contract. I dunno about you, but after checking Kanye's production discography, he could be the most prolific AND consistent in the game. Check out a live snippet of the first leaked track "Jockin Jay-Z" and refer to the link above for more info - shouts again to Mick Boogie!

Monday, August 4, 2008

.. I ain't no joke, so I ain't joking here - Last Sunday at Jones Beach was something special to me as a long-time fan of real, entertaining hip-hop. Every expectation I had of the New York stop of the Rock the Bells tour was met and exceeded, from the countless special guests to the crowd's energy to the venue itself. I can't possibly expect to do the artists and DJ's justice with this short write-up, but I have to give an honest attempt at conveying the event in words. So, without further ado, here's how NYC Rocked the Bells on a beautiful Sunday afternoon on Long Island..

After a tedious journey through Jersey to Staten Island to Brooklyn to Long Island not to mention waiting in bumper-to-bumper traffic before the drawbridge on Ocean Parkway, DJ $ickroc and I finally arrived at our destination around 2:30 p.m.

In typical hip-hop fashion, the show started about 2-hours late so I was pumped when we caught the end of the Kidz in the Hall's set as they ripped through "Drivin' Down The Block" to a sun-soaked audience. Glad to see Double O is recovering from his assault the other week.

We decided to keep our attention on the main stage, unfortunately foregoing Wale and the Cool Kids among others in the process. Next up was stic.man and M1 a.k.a. Dead Prez, who battled through technical difficulties for a concise set full of rebelious rants and unadulterated rawness including the chest-thumping "It's Bigger Than Hip Hop."

Activist-rapper Immortal Technique ran through a charged set as $ick and I explored the various booths. Grabbed me two shirts pictured here and got back in time to snap a paparazzi photo of Technique dipping through the crowd.

Coming all the way from the Left coast, The Pharcyde found out just how hard it is to please a New York crowd. They started tepidly but got love flowing through "Runnin'" then "Passin' Me By" to end strong.

Veteran crew De La Soul brought the heat next with a high-quality performance, rocking classics like "Stakes Is High" and surprising with special guests Dres from Black Sheep for a hyped rendition of "The Choice Is Yours Remix" and Biz Markie for a memorable "Just A Friend."

Jersey producer Just Blaze appeared to introduce Wu lyricists Raekwon & Ghostface who kept it real throughout their verses from "C.R.E.A.M.," "Be Easy," "Incarcerated Scarfaces," "Reunited" and "Ice Cream" but failed to generate the energy I expected from previous shows. No hate here at all, just an observation.

Here's where I made a mistake I'll regret for a long time. Not having eaten since Dunkin' Donuts at 9 A.M. (it was now 6ish), we made a quick dash for the food stand for a bite before Mos Def. Little did I know, we hopped in the slowest line in the whole place and ended up missing the majority of his set. To add insult to injury, I watched a TV behind the counter in agony as mighty Mos summoned Talib Kweli for a Blackstarr reunion! I was HEATED! Luckily, I ran with my 7-dollar cheeseburger to get back to my seat with enough time to catch "Get By Remix," "Miss Fat Booty" and "Travellin' Man" before the Brooklyn MC's wrapped things up.

The energy level elevated instantly when Method Man andRedman hit the stage in a cloud of smoke. These two amped MC's have phenomenal on-stage chemistry, engaging the crowd in a rapid-fire onslaught of jams like "Da Goodness," "How High," "All I Need," "I Bee Dat," and "Da Rocwilder." As the sun set and dusk engulfed the arena, Meth and Red surprised everyone by calling out EPMD and Keith Murray for an impromtu performance. revealed their intentions for a new How High movie and an upcoming sequel to Blackout.. Can't Wait!

Backed by a full band, Queensbridge vet Nastook the stagein a fury of electric guitars and revved up drums. Much to my content,my top 5 favorite MCran through banger after banger from his entire catalog, from Illmatic's"Represent" and "The World Is Yours" to I Am's"Hate Me Now" and "Nas Is Like" to his brand new untitled LP's "Hero" and "Breathe." Talk about entertainment!

Then, just as the crowd thought it couldn't get any better, DJ Green Lantern qeued up "Success" from Jay-Z's American Gangster - and the Jigga man himself appeared! I had to hop on my seat to get a better view amidst an eruption of screams from the crowd - Nasir Jones & Shawn Carter sharing the stage for "Success" and "Black Republicans" - definitely got our money's worth! After Jay said peace, Nas finished with an emotional "One Mic," captivating everyone in attendence for all three verses.

Tribe really showed why they are pioneers, sporting tracks from their 20-year catalog including "Check The Rhime," Award Tour," and "Electric Relaxation." The fellas started slow and built to a climax on "Scenario" with the final guest appearance of the night - a super-amped Busta Rhymes! Busta's presence brought the house down as he rocked his verse then into "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See." I wish I remembered which song Tribe finished with, at that point I was beyond exhausted and my brain could no longer function. As the lights came on and everyone said peace, $ickroc and I let the masses clear out first and basked in the moment - the end of a long, successful hip-hop journey.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

.. DJ $ickroc and I will be stormin' Jones Beach NYC bright and early for what could be the best concert of my 22 years on this planet, hands down. I mean, just look at all the performances and you'll understand. Who else is goin'?

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All material presented on this blog is strictly for promotional use only, the files are not hosted on my site but rather on third party servers. If you enjoy the music you hear, I highly encourage you go out and support the artist by purchasing their work. Any artist or label rep that would like me to take down a link, please contact me at my e-mail address. Have a good one, Grazie.